His Heart's Desire
by MathGirl987
Summary: Draco Malfoy finds the Mirror of Erised, but what he sees is the opposite of what he would expect. Rated T just in case! May be some cursing, but who knows! Drarry, so if you don't like that stuff, back away from the fanfic, s-l-o-w-l-y.
1. The Mirror

Draco couldn't sleep, and for what reason, he knew not. He got up out of bed and pulled his robe about him. He left his dormitory and paced the common room for a bit.

Finally, he sighed and left. He didn't care if he got caught. At least if he got caught he'd have something to do.

He approached an open door. He entered the room and looked around. He spotted a full length mirror and walked up to it to see if he looked at all tired. He didn't expect what he saw.

He saw himself, but with Harry Potter's arms wrapped lovingly around him. Harry Potter placed a kiss on his cheek.

Draco, shocked, whirled around. He saw no Harry Potter. He lifted a hand to his cheek but felt no kiss. Draco didn't understand. He returned his gaze to the mirror. Harry potter grinned at him, nuzzling the back of his neck.

Draco promptly left. His swift and quiet footsteps led back to his common room. He walked up the stairs to his dormitory and crawled into bed.

He didn't understand. What was it the mirror showed him? His face heated up at the thought of being all cuddly with Harry Potter.

After another hour of troublesome thinking, Draco Malfoy fell into a fitful sleep.

"Malfoy doesn't look so good," Hermione commented, drawing Ron's and Harry's attention to the blonde boy.

Draco looked unsure and uncomfortable, like he had found out he was going to befriend a Muggleborn, and very tired.

"He never looks good," Ron said, rolling his eyes.

"No, Hermione's right," Harry said. "Malfoy looks lost."

Snape told Draco to see him after class. Draco just blinked a bit at the request. Snape frowned but didn't deduct points as the Gryffindors had hoped.

The Golden Trio wanted to see how, exactly, Draco had gotten in trouble with Snape. It was unheard of.

When class ended, Hermione told Harry and Ron to go ahead and leave. Ron protested, but Harry pulled him along, figuring it would make more sense if Hermione stayed after.

After Harry and Ron left, Hermione lingered as if she was going to ask a question. Draco approached Professor Snape's desk. "Yes, Professor?"

"What were you doing out of bed around midnight?" Snape demanded of Draco.

"I couldn't sleep," Draco muttered. "So I took a walk to clear my mind."

"It obviously didn't."

"Because I saw something that unnerved me. There was a mirror, and—"

Draco was cut off as Snape stood, spotting Hermione. "What are you still doing here, Ms. Granger?" he demanded.

"I…I…," Hermione said, but she just looked down. Snape waited for her to leave, which she soon did.

Snape turned to Draco. "Continue."

"There was a mirror," Draco repeated. "But when I looked at it, I wasn't alone. There was Potter there, hugging me, and he kissed my cheek." Draco wrinkled his nose.

Snape frowned. "Describe the mirror."

Draco did, and Snape gave a heavy sigh. "That is the Mirror of Erised."

"And…?"

"The Mirror of Erised shows one's heart desire."

"Wh-What?" Draco sputtered. "That's impossible! I don't desire Potter!"

"You most certainly shouldn't tell your father," Snape continued, ignoring Draco's denial. "He would be most disappointed."

"But-!"

"You may leave my office. Now."


	2. Realization

**N/A: Hi there! MathGirl987 here. A friend of mine pointed out that there was no break between when Draco went to bed and the next day in Potions. I tried to fix that, but I suppose fanfiction didn't want me to switch out documents. Thank you for those who favorited, and the one who followed! Now, on with the story! Read and Review, folks.**

"Were you able to hear what's wrong?" Harry asked.

"He said he couldn't sleep, and found a mirror. He said what he saw had unnerved him."

"Well, I'd be unnerved too, if I saw that face in the mirror," Ron snickered.

"Be nice," Hermione reprimanded him.

"He's not nice!"

They quieted as Draco passed them to get to the Slytherin table. He started eating his lunch quietly, staring off into space.

"Must've been really unnerving," Harry murmured.

"Oi! Malfoy!" Ron called. "Whatsa matter? See your face?"

Draco put down his fork and left. Hermione frowned at Ron.

"What?" Ron said.

"Stop it already," Hermione told him.

Draco wandered about the hall until he found the room holding the Mirror of Erised. He stared glumly at the image on the glass. He kicked the mirror, unhappy. "Stop lying!" he yelled at the mirror, his voice echoing. He sat on the floor and glared at the mirror.

Before him, a new life unfolded. He watched the mirror like it was a movie. It was, in a way. He watched as he and Harry shared a kiss. As they got their own apartment. Watched himself propose to Harry, watched Harry say yes. Watched as they headed to the adoption center, hand in hand, to be denied twice before finding a baby girl on their doorstep. Watched their wedding ceremony, held in someone's backyard. He watched as he and Harry grew old together.

The mirror flickered, now showing reality, himself, alone. It flickered again, going back to something similar to what he had seen the night before.

Draco got up, sore from sitting so long. He exited the room, and could see from the dark sky outside, that he had been there for hours. It was past curfew as well, he figured, and tried to quickly get to his dormitory.

He was unsuccessful. Unfortunately for him, McGonagall was patrolling the halls. He was caught. "Mr. Malfoy!" Professor McGonagall reprimanded him.

Draco froze.

"What are you doing out of bed? McGonagall demanded. "And why did you skip my class?"

"I didn't mean to," Draco muttered. "And I lost track of time…"

"I'll be seeing you at detention tomorrow. We'll see if you can lose track of time there. Now go."

Draco grumbled but headed to his dorm. He lay in his bed all night, watching the ceiling and thinking about what he had seen in the Mirror. The more he thought about it, the more he realized why he was always so mean to Harry…


	3. What did you see?

**A/N: Hey there! I'm super sorry with the late update; I had to catch up on school work. Anyways, enjoy!**

The next day Draco was much better. He had, late into the night, finally accepted what he had seen in the mirror. Now the only thing he had to think about was how to keep it a secret. His mother used to call him her "open book, so easy to read".

He glanced over at Harry, who was concentrating on his potions recipe. Draco couldn't help but watch him furrow his eyebrows as he tried to remember what he needed for the potion.

"Draco, what are you doing?" Pansy demanded him.

"Uh, what?" Draco said, glancing at her.

"You're not listening to me!" Pansy's voice was a whine, starting to annoy Draco.

"Sorry," Draco muttered. "I'm thinking."

"About what?"

"Nothing!" he said quickly, not to mention loudly. His outburst had caused nearby tables to stop what they were doing and look over. Even Harry. Draco felt his cheeks warm up and he turned his gaze to his book. He tried to just ignore everybody.

At the end of the class, Draco purposely bumped into Harry as he left, just wanting to see if anything happened.

"Watch it, Malfoy!" Ron snapped.

Draco turned around to face them. He tried to think of some clever retort. Instead he got distracted by those emerald eyes of Harry Potter. He again felt his face heat up again. He promptly turned around and left.

"Malfoy."

The voice reached him before he could make a quick getaway. He froze, because it was Harry who spoke, instead of Ron.

"What did you see?"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Draco couldn't help but snap, then storm out.

"What _are_ you talking about?" Hermione and Ron asked.

"I'll tell you both after detention tonight," Harry promised.

"Detention?" Hermione demanded.

"Bloody hell mate, what did you do this time?" Ron asked.

"Was out late," Harry said. "Had to look into something."


	4. And No One Rejects a Malfoy

**A/N- I'm extremely sorry it took so long to update. I went through a break up recently, and haven't really been able to feel better until a few days ago. I meant to post this yesterday, but I was at my dad's house. But you're not here to listen to me rant about my personal life, you're here to read a story! Carry on!**

Draco and Harry arrived at detention at the same time. Draco looked away, as to not be distracted by Harry's eyes.

They were set a task of grading homework. Draco picked a desk far away from Harry as possible, but couldn't help but let his eyes flicker to meet those green ones. Draco's face would then warm up and then look down, but then back up. It was a vicious cycle.

McGonagall let them out at nine thirty. Draco was about to head to bed when Harry cornered him. "Why were you staring at me, Malfoy?" he asked.

"Wh-what?" Draco stammered.

"Why were you staring at me?" Harry repeated.

Draco quickly tried a feeble attempt at an insult. "Well it's hard not to, Potter, since your face is so ugly!"

Harry's face flamed and Draco looked down. "Surely you have better than that, Malfoy," Harry said. When Draco didn't answer, Harry asked, "What did you see? In the mirror of Erised."

"That's none of your business, Potter." Draco then furrowed his brow. "Wait, how did you…?"

"Hermione told me she all she heard was seeing something in a mirror had unnerved you. I just put two and two together."

"The mirror lies," Draco muttered.

"Oh, but it never lies. The only one lying is the one who's denying what he had seen," Harry continued nonchalantly.

Draco couldn't help but growl. "I do not lie to myself!" he hissed through gritted teeth.

"Then tell me, Draco," Harry said. Draco had been caught off guard by the fact that Harry Potter had said his first name. He accidentally opened his mouth, and then clamped it shut.

"Y—Nobody!" Draco said, catching himself at the last possible moment.

Harry raised an eyebrow and tilted his head a little to the left. "I never said anything about a person, Malfoy."

Harry was being so confusing, switching between using first and last names, thought Draco. It wasn't fair! "I never did, Potter!" Draco hissed again. "Now, if you'll excuse me…" Draco walked away quickly. Harry could see he was trying not to run.

Harry walked back to the Gryffindor common room. Hermione and Ron were waiting for him, though Hermione was reading, and Ron looked like he was about to fall asleep. Hermione put her book down when she saw Harry. "So, what did you look into?" she asked.

"Well, remember yesterday, how you said Draco had seen a mirror?" Harry asked.

"Well, yes, but what does that—"

"Was it that mirror you showed me in first year?" Ron asked, interrupting Hermione much to her disdain.

"Yes, that one. I followed Malfoy the other day to see if I could figure out what he had seen. I had to go to class, though, after a while, but when I came back he was still sitting there."

"The Mirror of Erised?" Hermione asked, guessing at what they were talking about. It was the only mirror she had read about that she figured only Ron and Harry would find. At Harry's nod, Hermione said, "I've read about that. It's supposed to show your heart's desire. It says so in the words, after all."

"Well, Malfoy didn't look happy at first, about his heart's desire. "He kicked the mirror and yelled at it, accusing it of lying. I had to leave then. But when I came back, he was sitting and watching the mirror, and he was smiling slightly.

After some more discussion, the three Gryffindors went to bed.

Hermione was scurrying down the halls to get to the library before curfew when she heard muttering. She paused. The voice sounded oddly familiar.

"I need to figure this out," the voice muttered. "Do I actually want to ask Potter out? He'll probably reject me…and no one rejects a Malfoy…"

Hermione couldn't believe her ears. She rounded the corner and spotted Draco Malfoy, sitting on the floor with his back against the wall, his eyebrows knit in concentration. "You like Harry?!" she asked, trying to keep her voice quiet.

Draco quickly jumped up. "You heard nothing, Granger!" he said, panicked. "What is it I have to do to keep you quiet?"

"I won't tell." When he didn't respond to that, she asked, "Was it Harry you saw in the Mirror of Erised?"

"Why should I trust you?" Draco demanded sullenly, like the frequently moody teenager he was.

"I'm not telling you to," Hermione responded matter-of-factly. "But I can help you keep it a secret. I could even help you become somewhat friends with him."

Draco again didn't answer.

"Maybe I can help you, Malfoy."

"A Mudblood? Help me?" Draco scoffed at the thought.

Hermione frowned. "Well, I won't, if you keep calling me that," she snapped as she narrowed her eyes. "But I'm Harry's friend, and I know things about him."

Draco looked at her. "You'd really help me, Granger?"

"Well, yes."

It was Draco's turn to narrow his eyes. Finally he said, "Fine, Granger. I'll let you help me. I want to keep this a secret, though I wouldn't mind being friends with him."

Hermione, for some reason, couldn't help but smile. Draco reminded her of a child. "You're so reluctant."

"And?"

Hermione just shook her head. "Well, first you have to learn to be nice."

"I can be nice."

"If you say so, Malfoy." Hermione walked away, leaving Draco rather irritated.


	5. Rumors

**A/N 1: The last few times I tried breaks between scenes didn't work. I'm trying again. If anyone has any idea of how to do it, please PM me.**

**A/N 2: You people who read this fanfiction are very lucky. I was going to participate in NaNoWriMo, but decided against it, since I have lots of homework. Junior year in high school, after all, is said to be the busiest time of high school, and they weren't kidding. Since I am not participating this year, you all have the treat of me still updating. Had I participated, I probably would have put this on hiatus until December. Enough with my ramblings! All those action-less chapters have paid off (in my opinion) and now we're getting somewhere! Enjoy!**

Draco watched carefully the whole week, expecting Hermione to spill the beans. Surprisingly, she did not.

"What are you playing at, Granger?" Draco asked on Friday. He couldn't get her alone to talk, so he settled being around her friends.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"You _know _what I mean!" Draco exclaimed.

"Maybe it's best that others don't," Hermione said, reminding him that she was around Harry and Ron at the moment. "Honestly, Malfoy, you need to think about things like this."

Draco sighed but saw and understood her reasoning. So he walked away, going to the Slytherin common room, and sitting on one of the chairs. Pansy almost immediately sat in his lap.

"Date me, Draco?" she asked, sounding more like she as begging than casually asking.

"No!" Draco couldn't help but say loudly, and the whole common room fell silent. Tears filled Pansy's eyes and she slid off Draco's lap, rushing out of the common room. Draco's face flushed and he looked down at his hands.

"Nice going, Draco," Blaise Zabini muttered, standing and going to find Pansy.

Draco lifted his eyes to look around the common room. "What are you all staring at?" he tried to demand. "Continue with what you were doing!"

When nobody listened, Draco stood up so quickly he almost fell, dizzy, and strode into the boys' dormitories. He flung himself onto his bed and buried his head into the pillow, groaning.

He heard the dormitory door open and stayed still, hoping the other boy would go away quickly.

"Draco?"

Draco sighed. "What is it, Goyle?" he asked.

"Heard you rejected Pansy."

"Yes, Goyle."

"Why's that?"

Draco sighed. Goyle waited. "I can't tell you right now."

"Later, then?"

"Maybe."

Draco heard Goyle leave and closed his eyes.

Hermione caught up with Draco as he was on his way to breakfast. "The whole school's talking about it," she said.

"About what?" Draco asked, motioning Crabbe and Goyle to go ahead.

"About how you so blatantly rejected Pansy Parkinson."

"I don't like her," Draco stated honestly. "She's annoying and whiny."

"Well, you should try to keep a low profile, if you're keeping it a secret. Being talked about by the whole school isn't exactly a good way to keep a low profile, you know."

"I know!" He was glad the halls right now were empty, with everyone eating breakfast. He lowered his voice some anyway. "It's just, I don't know, I've been finding myself anxious. Do you know what my mother calls me?"

"No, what?"

"An open book. I don't know what will happen if someone aside from you finds out that _I like Harry Potter_!"

A gasp was heard behind the two.

"_That's_ why you rejected me?!" came Pansy Parkinson's shriek. Hermione and Draco turned around, wide-eyed. "Because of a little crush on _Potter_?!"

"Pansy—"

"The whole school will know!" she declared decidedly.

"Pansy, please—"

"Shut up! You'll never hear the end of this!" Pansy ran towards the Great Hall. Draco stood frozen for a moment before Hermione nudged him.

Draco ran after Pansy. She dashed into the Great Hall.

"Draco MALFOY HAS A CRUSH ON HA—umpf!"

Draco had tackled Pansy to the ground before she could say another word and clapped a hand over her mouth. She bit him, and when he let go, she continued as if nothing happened.

"HARRY POTTER!"

The whole Hall fell silent, even the professors' table. All eyes were on Draco. He stood, cast a quick glance at Harry's astonished face, and fled to spare himself some humiliation.

Harry's eyes rested on the spot Draco had been only moments before. Pansy sauntered up to the Slytherin table like she was the best thing in the world. Hermione came in, taking Draco's place.

"Addressed to the people who believe what Parkinson just said. Yes, I heard it through the door. Malfoy does not like Harry. It's unbelievable, honestly, that she would make up such a lie. She's just upset about Malfoy rejecting her. I suspect she will try to use that as an excuse as to why he rejected her. Honestly, she's annoying and whiny; who _wouldn't_ reject her?"

With that, Hermione went and next to Harry and Ron. The Hall broke out in whispers.

"You've never defended Malfoy before, Hermione." Harry noted. Ron looked at her with suspicion.

"He's going through something," Hermione explained.

"What kind of thing" Ron asked, not caring about Draco Malfoy but instead being unhappy about Hermione keeping a secret.

"It's best I not tell."

"Come _on_, Hermione; don't tell me you actually _care_ about that bloody git!"

Hermione refused to answer and simply sipped her juice.

"Professor…"

"Mr. Malfoy."

"Professor…my father must not hear of the rumors," Draco told Snape, almost begging. "Please… please end them somehow. Deal with them."

"Mr. Malfoy, as much as I do not wish for my godson to be made fun of, nor get in trouble with his father, I cannot stop the rumors from leaving the school." Snape regarded the young Slytherin calmly. "I can, however, attempt the aforementioned action."

"Thank you, Professor…"

"If the rumors leave, however, you must either tell your father of your feelings yourself or attempt to lie."

"Feelings? I have no feelings for Potter!" Desperation turned into indignation as Draco's face flushed in slight annoyance and embarrassment.

"Do not deny them, Mr. Malfoy. It does one no good to. If you do come to terms with your feelings…" Draco looked up. "You may want to tell Potter. You will regret not doing so." Snape's voice was tinged with some sort of truth.

"You sound as if you speak from experience, sir."

"Perhaps I do," Snape answered. "That may even be talked about in another time. But right now, you must go to class."

Draco nodded and left.


	6. Moss

**A/N- I'm sorry to inform you this chapter will not be as long as the others! I don't know if you've noticed, but the recent chapters I have been steadily increasing the word count. I just thought the end of this chapter would be a great place to stop. I do have to warn you about the next chapter (which, don't worry, will be plenty long). I think that the characters will be OOC (out of character) in my opinion. But that's just me, I'll have to see your opinion on it. Enough with the rambling, on with the story!**

**In this chapter: Friendship, a Potions class, and Hermione's brains.**

~oOo~

Draco stayed in the dormitory the rest of the week. He asked Goyle to bring him his homework, which he did.

"I can't believe her, Goyle," Draco muttered. "My life is going to crumble before me…"

"Maybe not," Goyle offered. For a moment, Draco was glad Goyle was his friend. "Maybe they won't believe it?"

Draco sighed. "I wish. You were there when Pansy announced it, weren't you? Did you see everybody? They looked surprised, alright, but like they'd believe it. People will talk. I do not wish for this rumor to go around…"

His friend was quiet for a few moments, and the silence was placid, almost. Draco, however, didn't relax.

"Is it just a rumor?"

"Is what just a rumor?" Draco kept his face covered with his pillow, his voice muffled.

"What Pansy said."

Draco sighed again. "Promise not to tell, Goyle?" Draco almost cursed himself for his own stupidity. What did it matter if Goyle told anyone? The whole school already knew! But Goyle nodded, and Draco felt a little better that he was able to trust someone. "It's true," Draco said miserably. "The rumor is true, Which is why I tried to stop Pansy from saying anything. I didn't want Potter to know."

"What d'you suppose he'll do?"

"That's the thing that's tearing me up…"

Blaise entered the boys' dormitory. "So, Pansy said why you rejected her," the dark-haired Slytherin said.

"It's not true!" Draco growled. "Come off it!"

Blaise raised an eyebrow. "Snappy and oversensitive today, aren't we?"

Draco buried his head into his pillow again.

"He wants to be alone," Goyle said.

"You're here," Blaise shot back.

"He's a lot more supportive than some people," Draco muttered, still muffled. "Please, Blaise, just leave."

Blaise, much to Draco's surprise, left. Draco sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes tiredly. Goyle eyed the redness in them.

Draco noticed and looked away. "I've been here for too long," he muttered. "Let's go to Potions." He stood, grabbed his book bag, and strode out. Goyle followed him.

It was difficult to ignore the eyes that followed him everywhere as he slid into his seat.

Snape strode into the classroom, his robes billowing about himself. "Today, class, we will be creating the Oblitus Potion. You will not be pairing up." There were several groans of disappointment. "You will not be needing your books today, so do as to put them away." He walked to the front of the classroom and wrote down the instructions along with ingredients. "The end result should be green and have a slight mossy smell. The potion is used to make one forget a silly, trivial thing that nobody even really thinks about."

Hermione narrowed her eyes. The Oblitus Potion, she remembered, would make the creator forget something on their mind if they sniffed it. Hermione was sure no one else knew that and that they'd think forgetting something would only happen if they drank it.

But then she smiled to herself, understanding. The one thing on everyone's mind was Pansy's rumor of Draco. She discreetly passed a note to Harry in a flash of illogical thought. He opened it when Snape went to terrorize Neville.

_Harry,_

_If you don't want to forget about the rumor of Malfoy's secret, then do not smell the potion._

_Hermione_

Harry looked over at Hermione. The bushy haired girl had turned her attention back to her potion. Harry slipped the note into his pocket.

"Now," Snape said, having fixed Snape's potion, "it should be done. You will smell the potion to check if it has been brewed correctly."

Snape's eyes swept over the students, making sure each of them followed his instructions.

Draco, knowing about the potion as well as Hermione, set it aside. Hermione and Harry pretended to smell deeply. The majority of the class blinked dazedly for a moment. Draco felt all the eyes leave his back. He could barely restrain a sigh of relief.

"Does everyone smell moss?" The class nodded. "Good. Class dismissed.


	7. The Truth

**A/N- Here it is! The chapter where Draco finally (somewhat) admits his feelings for Harry! **

**A/N 2- I'm super sorry it took more than a week! I was busy with school, then when it came to weekend, my mother decided to drag my family eight hours across the state to visit my great-grandmother, and yesterday I forgot my flash drive at my friend's house. Thank you for your patience and loyalty!**

**In this chapter: A kiss, shock, and denial.**

"Why wouldn't you want me to forget the rumor about Malfoy?" Harry asked Hermione while Ron was asleep the next morning, and most people were at breakfast.

"No reason," Hermione lied. "I suppose I wanted to see if or how you would act upon it."

"It's unexpected," Harry admitted. "It's probably _just_ a rumor. Malfoy hates me."

Hermione just nodded, silent. Harry noticed this.

"Are you hiding something from me?"

Hermione gazed at him with a critical eye. "Do you want the truth or a lie?"

"The truth, Hermione."

"I am hiding something from you. But I said I wouldn't tell."

"Is it about the rumor?" She did not say anything. "Is…is it true?" Hermione turned her gaze elsewhere, pretending to be increasingly interested in the red velvet material of the chair she was sitting in. "Bloody hell, Hermione," Harry groaned, guessing the truth. "Tell me it isn't true…"

"I have to go," Hermione stated suddenly, standing and leaving the common room. She looked for Draco, who was eating breakfast. "Malfoy," she whispered urgently when she approached him. "We have to talk!" She ignored the stares and walked out of the Great Hall to wait for him.

"The Mudblood honestly doesn't deserve my time," Draco informed his Slytherin housemates, standing. "But she won't leave me alone."

Crabbe and Goyle stood with him. "I'll be fine," Draco told them. "After all, what could a Mudblood do to a Pureblood like me?"

"Give you a bloody nose," Crabbe supplied unhelpfully.

Draco scowled at him and left the Great Hall. "What do you want, Granger?"

"Um, Harry _might_ know that you like him," Hermione squeaked.

"_Might?! _" Draco demanded. "He'll tell the whole school! Didn't the potion work?"

"He might have not smelled it…"

"Granger! You're going to ruin my reputation if you keep sparing Potter! He can't know that I like—" He stopped short when he spotted Harry.

"So it's true?" Harry said.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Potter!" Draco said, his face flushed with fear and embarrassment. "Why don't you take your Mudblood and leave?" He had started to hate the insult for Muggle-borns, since Hermione wasn't so bad.

"Don't call her that," Harry ground out.

"It's fine, Harry," Hermione assured him. "Let's just go."

"No."

"And why is that, Potter?" Draco tried to drawl, but instead his voice sounded timid. He mentally cursed himself.

"I want to know the truth, Malfoy!"

"the truth?" Draco said softly. He stepped up, right in front of Harry. His heart was beating so fast he thought it could burst from his chest. All three seemed to be holding their collective breath. Draco rested a hand on Harry's cheek, caressing it gently. He then stood on his toes to reach Harry's height, and then brushed his lips against Harry's, his own trembling. "There is your truth." Frightened grey eyes fleetingly met surprised emerald ones, and Draco turned on his heel and ran off.

Harry was frozen in shock and surprise.

"Harry? Harry?" Hermione's voice sounded worried. She shook the Boy-Who-Lived. "Harry? Are you alright?" She sighed. "Honestly!" She dragged him to the Gryffindor common room.

Ron was just coming from the boys' dormitory. "Is Harry alright?" he asked, seeing that his best mate was staring off into space.

"He's just very shocked. Get me some water." Once Hermione had the goblet of water she threw the water into Harry's face.

It was when Harry sputtered and took his glasses off to save them that Hermione and Ron knew he was back.

"Bloody hell, Harry!" Ron said, genuinely concerned for him. "What happened?"

"Malfoy…Malfoy kissed me!"

"What?!"

Hermione took a deep breath and whistled with her mouth and fingers. She figured they'd start yelling so it would be best to stop that now. The boys shut up, and the shrill noise died down. "Will you both please _calm down_!" Hermione said. When they looked at her, she started to speak. "Harry, you shouldn't be so surprised since you heard the rumor."

"Rumor? What rumor?" Ron demanded.

"You don't remember because of the Oblitus potion," Hermione explained. "If you smell it, you forget something, such as the fact that Pansy Parkinson told everyone about Malfoy's crush on Harry."

"The bloody git can't like Harry," Ron exclaimed. "First of all, Malfoy hates Harry, and the feeling is mutual."

"Maybe Draco wants the mutual feeling to change," Hermione insisted.

"Are you really siding with that ferret, Hermione?" Ron demanded, annoyed. "The same ferret that has been taunting us—you—for years?"

"And if I am?"

"Unbelievable!"

"Stop arguing," Harry told them. "Let me think."

"Thinking of how to humiliate Malfoy?" Ron guessed hopefully. Harry shook his head. Ron started to protest but Hermione shot him a glare.

"Maybe he did it to humiliate me," Harry mumbled. "To tell everyone, the whole school, that I kissed him…"

"Harry, the look in Malfoy's eyes—he looked scared," Hermione said reasonably. "Like he was nervous. Like he really cared about what you though."

"Just—just leave me alone, both of you," he couldn't help but snap as he jumped up and ran up the stairs to the boys' dormitory.


	8. Asking for Help

**A/N- Hey! I have a favour to ask you people. My friend has a story up yet not many reviews. Or at least since she posted the first chapter, and she's three or four chapters in. If you can, please visit the story Severus Snape's Lily by Syanra. I know I have already put her story as 'Story of the week' on my profile, but it'd be much appreciated. Thank you!**

**In this chapter: frustration, lies, and a surprise (it sounds really good. It's not.)**

Draco was muttering, "I'm dead. I am _so_ dead" over and over again. The Slytherins in the common room regarded him oddly. He ignored them.

Pansy, on the other side of the common room, had a look of concentration on her face. She felt she knew a secret. But, as much as she tried, she could not remember it. She knew she learned it _after_ Draco had rejected her. She also knew it was humiliating, so that made her want to remember it more, so she could poke fun at the person hiding the secret.

A growl escaped her lips. She was getting frustrated. "Blaise," she called. Blaise walked over to her. "Did anything out of the ordinary happen recently?"

Blaise thought back. "I don't know. It feels like something's missing…but I know something happened."

Pansy sighed, frustrated again. "I will find out," she muttered.

Blaise shook his head. "If you say so."

"I will!" She looked over at the muttering Draco. "It has to do with Draco, doesn't it?" Blaise nodded, getting the feeling that it was. "Keep an eye on him," she said, and went to the girls' dormitory to rest.

Blaise looked over at Draco. Draco was still muttering to himself. "Why are you so dead?" Blaise asked the blonde.

Draco looked up. "I forgot there was a test in Transfiguration. I just remembered right now," he lied.

"There isn't any test in that class any time soon," Blaise informed him.

Draco did his best to look relieved. "That's a good thing, then."

Blaise watched him carefully. "You sure you're okay, Draco?"

Draco bobbed his head up and down. "Plenty fine. Do you know where Goyle is?" he asked tentatively.

"Probably in the Great Hall, stuffing himself," Blaise said. Draco nodded and left the common room. He walked to the Great Hall and looked for Goyle.

Goyle and Crabbe were sitting at the Slytherin table. They were indeed eating. Crabbe said something, and from reading his lips, Draco could see it was about himself.

The most interesting thing happened. Goyle's face twisted into irritation and annoyance. He shoved Crabbe and stood. Crabbe said something again, and Goyle shoved him off his seat.

Draco strode up to them. "Is there a problem?" he asked.

Crabbe shook his head, getting up and leaving. Draco watched him leave before turning to Goyle. "He insulted you," Goyle explained. "And then he insulted the fact that I defended you."

Draco blinked. "You defended me?" Goyle nodded. "You…are a true friend. Never thought I'd find one of those in Slytherin."

~oOo~

Draco and Goyle went to the Room of Requirement that night. Draco desperately needed help on what to do about Harry. He first explained that he liked Harry. Draco wasn't sure what he expected, maybe a shout, or maybe even an insult. Instead, he got a nod of understanding. Draco was honestly surprised.

He then explained the whole situation. How Harry knew, how Draco had actually kissed him and then ran off.

"I…I didn't want him to know," Draco said.

"Maybe you could Obliviate his memory?" Goyle suggested.

"If that happened, I'd probably want mine Obliviated too. I really have no idea why, though."

"Well, have you seen Potter lately?"

"Two days ago...that was when I…Oh Merlin, what was I thinking?!" Draco buried his head into his hands.

"Why don't you talk to him about it?"

"He probably hates me by now," Draco muttered, only half-listening to Goyle. "Probably spreading rumours that I'm a poofter by now."

"He's not one to spread rumours," Goyle pointed out, wanting to make his friend feel better.

"But it's _me_," Draco insisted. "He and his friends hate me. Except Granger, maybe. Amazingly, she's not that bad, but the other two, Potter and Weasley, they _hate_ me." He buried his face into his hands again.

If it was Blaise or Crabbe in the Room of Requirement with him, he would have been told that he was acting like a complete and total girl. But it was not Blaise nor Crabbe that was there. It was his good friend Goyle. And Goyle said, "Why don't you ask Granger about it?"

"About what?"

"What Potter thinks of it and if your fear will come true."

Draco sat up. "Think I can get her alone to ask her that?" he asked, lifting his head from his hands.

"Isn't she in the library a lot?"

Draco nodded and stood. "Thanks. A lot. Really." He left the Room of Requirement.

~oOo~

Hermione sighed and stood. "What over him, will you?" she asked Ron, who nodded, and she walked to the library.

Draco met her there, as expected. The agreement to meet there had been unspoken. "What…what did he say?" Draco asked.

"He thinks you're going to spread a rumour about him," Hermione answered.

"What? I'm sure that's what _he's_ going to do…" Hermione shook her head. "He's scared?" Hermione nodded. "C-could you ask him to think about it?"

"I'll do that," Hermione agreed. "You're still hoping, aren't you? Calm down, you're paler than usual."

"Sorry," Draco mumbled.

Hermione simply smiled. "There's no need to apologize, Malfoy. You're just worried about what Harry thinks. Perfectly normal."

"Thanks…Hermione," Draco said. It felt nice to say her actual name.

Hermione smiled again. "No problem, Draco."


End file.
